Researchers at Iowa State University discovered that a perennial cover crop can be used on corn fields to achieve similar yields to traditional farming methods while also improving soil quality and reducing erosion. The study found that using Kentucky bluegrass as the perennial cover crop resulted in yields of over 200 bushels per acre.
Researchers at USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have created a unique fingerprinting method to identify the source of soil, distinguishing between soils from rural roads and agricultural fields. This innovation has significant implications for managing wind erosion and promoting sustainable agriculture.
Researchers have identified a promising conservation tillage technique called undercutting, which can reduce PM10 emissions by 30-70% compared to conventional tillage. This method creates an aerodynamically rougher soil surface, promoting retention of crop residue and reducing wind erosion.
Researchers at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia developed a method to evaluate coastal storm vulnerability, finding that one-third of the region's coasts are at risk of severe flooding and erosion. The study used wave data from 1958-2008 to assess the vulnerability of a 50-kilometer stretch of coastline.
Researchers used clinker deposits and U-Th/He isotopic dating to determine the pace of recent evolution in the Powder River Basin. The study found that the basin has experienced increasing incision and topographic relief over the last million years, with rates of up to 0.3 km/million years.
Researchers discovered that a calcium-sensing receptor plays a major role in the development of hypercalcemia, a deadly syndrome associated with squamous-cell lung cancers. The receptor releases a hormone that sets off a biological cycle leading to bone erosion and calcium release, ultimately promoting cancer growth and spread.
The planet's soils face unprecedented threats from erosion and human activity, which can lead to loss of food production, carbon storage, and biodiversity. International research efforts aim to develop mathematical models to predict soil changes and design solutions to mitigate these impacts.
Heavy rainfall triggered landslides that choked rivers and overwhelmed the Panama City water-treatment plant, forcing a month-long shutdown. The new digital map of landslide scars will help authorities calculate future storm risk and minimize its impact on water supply.
China's Sloping Land Conversion Program has helped restore eroded forestland while providing economic gains for farmers. The program has decreased soil erosion by up to 68% and improved the environment, but its economic benefits have been less pronounced, with some families struggling to find new work.
Ancient cave systems near Allgäu Mountains preserved oldest radiometrically dated dripstones from European Alps. The study quantifies erosion and uplift rates for northern rim of Alps over 2 million years, with significant altitudinal changes attributed to glacial erosion.
Researchers investigate widespread basement erosion during late Paleocene-early Eocene in Laramide Rocky Mountains. Additionally, they explore anomalous clastic wedge development and V-shaped conjugate strike-slip faults with implications for planetary geology.
A study by US Department of Agriculture scientists found that no-till production systems can significantly reduce soil erosion and enhance efforts to protect water quality. The research compared runoff, soil erosion, and crop yields in conventional and no-till winter wheat-fallow systems.
A new study by the U.S. Geological Survey and University of California, Los Angeles, found that climate change will lead to increased dust storm activity in the Southwest due to reduced perennial vegetation cover. However, biological soil crusts prevented wind erosion from occurring at most sites.
Researchers confirm that stream bank failure is a significant contributor to high sediment levels in the Mississippi River, with seepage erosion playing a crucial role. The study finds that stable stream banks can become unstable when seepage erosion is added to factors promoting bank failure.
A USGS report found that 68 percent of beaches in the region are eroding at an average rate of 1.6 feet per year. The study used historical data to assess coastal change over 150 years and provides valuable information for managing the impacts of sea-level rise.
Scientists have found that the sand dunes in a vast area of northern Mars are changing with both sudden and gradual motions, contrary to previous assumptions. The changes were caused by seasonal carbon-dioxide ice and stronger-than-expected gusts of wind, resulting in sand avalanches and erosion.
Scientists have created a new system that uses two video cameras and advanced computer software to study ocean waves in real-time. The technology can help explain the dynamics of near-shore waves and provide accurate insights into coastal erosion.
By adding subsoil information to a sedimentation and erosion model, researchers at Delft University of Technology gained a clearer picture of how rivers and deltas develop over time. This new understanding can help with delta management and reservoir geology, particularly in finding oil reserves.
Alternative grass species such as little bluestem, purple lovegrass, and tall fescue have been identified for anchoring roadside slopes. These deep-rooted species can stabilize the soil, while warmer-season grasses like little bluestem and purple lovegrass prevent surface erosion and provide green roadsides.
A team of researchers led by David Furbish from Vanderbilt University is studying the erosion of Locke Island, which has been alarmingly eroding away since the 1970s. The island's difficulties began when the east bank of the river adjacent to it collapsed, causing a landslide that pinched down the channel flowing around the island.
USDA researchers are developing constructed soils to build better, less-costly sports fields, raingardens, and lawns on degraded land. The most promising mixture includes quarry byproducts and composted chicken litter, which reduces rain runoff and erosion.
Researchers found that old logging practices led to unprecedented soil erosion in southern Oregon's Siskiyou Mountains, which remains a threat despite improved practices. The study analyzed charcoal, pollen, and sediment cores to understand the impacts of fires over the last 2,000 years.
A new study examines how river flow affects sediment movement, aiming to predict erosion and deposition in rivers. By using an innovative combination of measurements, scientists will improve understanding of sediment transport and develop techniques to prevent damage to infrastructure.
Researchers found that glaciers in southern Patagonian Andes have helped mountains grow, not erode, by providing an icy shield. The study's findings contradict the glacial buzzsaw theory, which predicted glaciers would slow mountain growth.
Research reveals that glaciers in cold climates protect mountain tops and sides from erosion, allowing them to grow higher. By analyzing rocks exposed on remote glaciers in Patagonia, scientists found that the protective effect of glaciers reverses the conventional view of them as powerful agents of erosion.
A new theory developed at Purdue University suggests that stored stress built up in the Earth's crust long ago can trigger large earthquakes. Rapid erosion from the Mississippi River ended a period of forces keeping the New Madrid fault from slipping, triggering the massive earthquakes.
The September-October issue of GSA Bulletin explores various geological topics, including fast erosion during floods and improving the Earth's geological time scale fidelity. A study on the West Mariana Ridge reveals new insights into its geomorphology and processes.
A five-year study found that one-time tillage did not negatively impact grain yield or soil structure in no-till crops. However, it may help manage perennial weeds and reduce phosphorus stratification. The researchers concluded that tilling should only be done to address specific problems, as it increases erosion risk.
Researchers predict perennial grain crops could be available in two decades, offering a sustainable solution to feed the world's growing population. These crops have longer growing seasons, deeper roots, and require fewer herbicides and equipment passes, reducing erosion and sequestering carbon.
A study published in the World Journal of Gastroenterology revealed endoscopic findings of CMV gastritis in seven patients after allo-SCT, with oozing, erosion, and redness more frequently documented in these cases. The researchers suggest using erosion and oozing as early markers for CMV gastritis diagnosis.
Research using geoscientific observatories reveals high levels of manganese in certain soils linked to nearby industrial activities. The study contributes to understanding the impact of human activity on soil formation and fertility.
A team of scientists has developed an application of rare earth elements to control and track phosphorus runoff from soils receiving livestock manure. The method reduces phosphorus solubility and can be used to label and track soil erosion and sedimentation during storm events.
Research found that adding straw residue to hairy vetch cover crops can reduce legume nitrogen losses, but may lower crop yields. The study revealed that straw residue reduced soil inorganic nitrogen content by an average of 7.3% compared to treatments with only legume residues.
A new study finds that adding straw residue to hairy vetch cover crops can reduce nitrogen loss into waterways. However, this method also results in reduced crop yields due to the straw's removal from the field for sale. The research suggests integrating legume cover crops with synthetic fertilizers could improve sustainability.
A three-year study found that cover crops significantly reduced erosion and runoff in maize cropping systems, with a residual effect lasting up to two years. The research suggests that burying sufficient cover crop biomass into the soil can reduce erosion rates by 40-90% lower than rough tillage.
A joint study across the central Great Plains found that no-till farming stores more soil carbon, binding particles together and reducing vulnerability to raindrops. This makes the topsoil less susceptible to erosion by water or wind, critical in semiarid regions with low precipitation and high evaporation.
Researchers detected significant changes in chemical tracers in stream water, indicating increased thaw depth of permafrost. The study suggests that coastal erosion and greenhouse gas releases are likely outcomes of thawing permafrost.
Growing energy crops like warm season grasses and short-rotation woody crops can promote long-term carbon sequestration and provide biofuel feedstock. Removing crop residues from fields, however, can lead to soil erosion, water pollution, and reduced nutrient cycling.
Marine Roseobacter clade decline linked to ocean acidification may impact global climate system and socio-economic consequences. Ocean acidification could significantly affect fish stocks and coral reef erosion.
Researchers are using conservation agriculture techniques to increase food production, improve soil quality, and reduce climate change risks. The projects focus on implementing technologies such as cover crops, no-till production, and residue management to improve food security and sustainability in Haiti and other countries.
Researchers from Moors for the Future Partnership are using techniques like re-establishing heather plants, rebuilding paths, and gully blocking to reduce erosion. These methods aim to absorb around 400,000 tonnes of carbon a year, equivalent to 1.1 billion car miles or 84,000 family-sized cars.
Researchers find evidence that a Martian channel was formed by lava flows, contradicting previous theories that suggested water carving. The discovery has implications for the geological evolution of Mars and our understanding of its potential for life.
Researchers have developed new plant varieties to restore vegetation communities on the western rangelands, helping them survive extreme weather conditions. The newly created Hycrest II and Vavilov II cultivars offer improved establishment and resilience against invasive species.
The Gishwati Area Conservation Program will fund reforestation of nearly 650 acres in Rwanda's Western Province. The expansion aims to stabilize steep hillsides, reduce erosion into the Sebeya River, and provide additional habitat for endangered chimpanzees.
Scientists at Oregon State University have found that maximum ocean wave heights off the Pacific Northwest have increased dramatically, reaching as high as 46 feet, forcing re-evaluation of '100-year event' predictions. The study highlights the potential for higher waves to dominate erosion, flooding and damage over sea level rise.
Researchers examined erosion rates along a Scandinavian Ice Sheet margin over the past 2.7 million years, finding higher delivery rates for the most recent 600,000 years. In another study, ancient river sediments preserved records of California's topography and climate during intense global warming 50 million years ago.
Scientists find evidence that Arctic Ocean and Nordic Seas may experience seasonally ice-free conditions and much warmer temperatures in the future. USGS research suggests that current climate models underestimate sea ice loss, with potential consequences including accelerated coastal erosion and impacts on polar bears and seals.
Researchers found that Titan's ice is stronger as temperature decreases, allowing it to form an Earth-like landscape. The study used laboratory measurements to understand the impact of cold temperatures on ice erosion.
Tropical Storm Laurence is forecasted to make its second landfall in Australia, impacting the northern Kimberley coast and potentially causing heavy rainfall and beach erosion. Residents in the affected areas are advised to take action in preparation for the cyclone's arrival.
Researchers found significant spatial variations in land movement along the US Atlantic coast, with mid-Atlantic regions subsiding twice as much as northern and southern areas. Coastal subsidence enhances sea-level rise, leading to shoreline erosion and loss of wetlands.
Researchers discovered that certain cyanobacteria species have evolved rope-building traits to resist erosion and stabilize soil substrates in arid environments. This adaptation allows them to thrive in areas where other microbes would struggle to survive.
Ida has reformed as a powerful coastal low pressure system bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds, coastal erosion and tidal flooding to the Mid-Atlantic region. The system will continue to affect areas from North Carolina to New Jersey with significant flooding and high water expected
The Alps are constantly rising in height, despite being eroded at the same rate, due to climate-driven uplift. Researchers used rare isotopes to prove this phenomenon, showing that mountains erode concurrently with their growth.
Researchers documented tsunami-caused erosion in the Kuril Islands and found that waves can carry away nearly 50 times more sand and soil than they deposit. The study provides detailed insights into the scope of tsunami-induced erosion and its relationship with wave force and topography.
A 7-year study found that South Carolina beaches can be preserved through a systematic approach and partnerships between government and local organizations. The research identified offshore sand sources that can be used for beach replenishment without exacerbating erosion.
A three-year research study is examining how freshwater marsh ecosystems react to global environmental change. The study will focus on the formation of marshes and their sensitivity to changes in water levels, biodiversity, and sediment deposition, with results aimed at preventing unintended destruction and restoring degraded marshes.
Researchers successfully built a scale model of a living meandering river, demonstrating the critical role of vegetation in slowing erosion and reinforcing banks. Sand, typically avoided in stream restoration, was found to be essential for building point bars and blocking cut-off channels, leading to a more balanced ecosystem.
A study by Michigan State University found that a growing medium depth of 4-7 cm is optimal for green roof success. The top-performing Sedum species were able to thrive in shallower depths, while deeper depths proved less desirable due to increased erosion risk.
A new study published in Nature Geoscience finds that human activities such as large-scale farming can cause erosion at rates comparable to the world's largest rivers and glaciers. This is contrary to previous scholarship, which suggested that glaciers were more erosive than rivers.
Researchers developed prediction models to identify eroded waterways from digital terrain information, enabling the placement of grassed waterways and reducing soil erosion. These models accurately identified potential locations of erosion-prone areas, corresponding well with actual field observations.